RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted January 28, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2021 I think light weight might be the way forward if you want to have a portable layout. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 28, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2021 2 hours ago, skipepsi said: I think light weight might be the way forward if you want to have a portable layout. Pantmawr Sidings addressed the issue of baseboard weight. It was built out of 75mm thick closed cell foam and thin ply sides. I used 18 mm ply for the ends. We did use 3 mm ply as a track bed as the surface of the ply as a bit uneven. They are about 5 feet long, 18" wide and you can pick them up between your finger and thumb. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 28, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2021 As an aside, one of the advantages of the thin ply sides is, with some double checked mathematical calculations, make each side a different length and then create a curved board as shewn. It's a bit flexible until you put the foam in which was secured with expanding foam, which also filled up any gaps, and a couple of wooden dowels through the thin ply sides which I always seem to end up doing on joints without any natural mechanical fixing. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 28, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2021 For my analogue exploits I am still using an old H&M Clipper. It is now well over 50 years old, and I really think it is time for something slightly more up to date. Any suggestions? I'm quite happy to have something that requires an external power source. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted January 28, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2021 9 hours ago, Happy Hippo said: Pantmawr Sidings addressed the issue of baseboard weight. It was built out of 75mm thick closed cell foam and thin ply sides. I used 18 mm ply for the ends. We did use 3 mm ply as a track bed as the surface of the ply as a bit uneven. They are about 5 feet long, 18" wide and you can pick them up between your finger and thumb. A good bit lighter than my hollow core door adaptions then. I was actually thinking about the traverser set up compared with multiple cassettes. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 28, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2021 1 minute ago, skipepsi said: A good bit lighter than my hollow core door adaptions then. I was actually thinking about the traverser set up compared with multiple cassettes. My current traverser runs on heavy duty door runners. I've now got a set (5) of the linear shaft rods used in CNC machines. I'm going to use three of them on the traverser rebuild, with a braced ply frame. Some form of bottom will be made up from thin ply under the shaft rods to ensure that in the event of a run through, the errant loco/wagon/coach only falls into a pit rather than the 48 inches to the floor. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurenceb Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 Very quite, is something nefarious underway? 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted January 28, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2021 10 minutes ago, laurenceb said: Very quite, is something nefarious underway? not me guv 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurenceb Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 The Hippo & The Bear are the usual suspects 3 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 28, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2021 28 minutes ago, laurenceb said: The Hippo & The Bear are the usual suspects Well, you've met me! 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted January 28, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2021 “And after sunset tonight, high in the western sky, you will find the Hippo, and further across the Bear...” 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted January 28, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2021 (edited) 8 hours ago, Happy Hippo said: For my analogue exploits I am still using an old H&M Clipper. It is now well over 50 years old, and I really think it is time for something slightly more up to date. Any suggestions? I'm quite happy to have something that requires an external power source. Simples, get a Duette, I use one on LGA with qnother as backup. If q clipper lasts 50 years the Duette should last 100. Jamie Edited January 28, 2021 by jamie92208 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbishop Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 Richard et al, CASSETTES. I'm a big fan. The first point to make is I glue cork floor tiles to my baseboards (shiny side down) then "layout" cork as well. This makes the top of the rail some distance from the baseboard. Relevant later. My cassettes are 9mm marine ply, to which is screwed 1" x 1" aluminium angle. There are MDF feet glued to the ply to get the correct height - mine are ¼". Probably helps in sliding cassettes around and easy to get fingers under if a cassette has to be lifted. I tried to standardise on 16" and 48" long cassettes but tender locomotives require 24" as well. Two further points. Aluminium ears provide mechanical alignment but I don't rely on them for electrical connectivity. Then ply blocks stop stock rolling off the cassettes. Bill 5 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted January 28, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2021 A Minor ain’t bad. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 28, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2021 (edited) Thanks Bill, I picked up the issue of relevant height when I was building Pantmawr Sidings and had to make some calculations to account for the difference between the height of the cassette from the cassette table and making sure it was the correct height to align with the rails on the scenic boards. It might have been easier If I'd built the cassette table before laying and fixing down the track on the scenic side! Should I convert SWS to Cassettes, then I will have to carry out the same exercise. Using them on the next railway, Aberflyarff (LL), will pose no such problem as I will build the cassette table first and with the cassettes I already have built, will be able to adjust the single trackbed (up and down lines) quite simply before permanently securing it to the scenic section frames. Edited January 28, 2021 by Happy Hippo 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted January 28, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2021 8 hours ago, Happy Hippo said: For my analogue exploits I am still using an old H&M Clipper. It is now well over 50 years old, and I really think it is time for something slightly more up to date. Any suggestions? I'm quite happy to have something that requires an external power source. How about a Gaugemaster off Ebay? Lifetime guarantee too, so if it ever should go wrong.... 1 hour ago, laurenceb said: The Hippo & The Bear are the usual suspects It couldn't have been Bear cos' he wasn't there. And if he was there he knows nothing about it..... 3 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastalview Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 (edited) 7 minutes ago, polybear said: How about a Gaugemaster off Ebay? Lifetime guarantee too, so if it ever should go wrong.... My Gaugemaster controller is about 30 years old that I had for the kids railway. Still working very well and feels like it will survive just about anything. Edited January 28, 2021 by coastalview 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 28, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2021 I got the results of the chest x ray earlier on today: All clear, so nothing out of the ordinary. Having reviewed my flow meter readings over the past fortnight, the nurse has now booked me an appointment (phone) with the GP on Monday. It's all rather drawn out, but I feel it's: Not serious, just annoying. It's getting narrowed down, so I suspect the next area of investigation will be the upper respiratory tract. I think it will require a dose of single malt later this evening: Purely for medicinal purposes. 58 minutes ago, polybear said: How about a Gaugemaster off Ebay? Lifetime guarantee too, so if it ever should go wrong.... It couldn't have been Bear cos' he wasn't there. And if he was there he knows nothing about it..... I've heard good reviews from other users about the Gaugemaster hand held units, so I shall take a look. The first rule of Cake Klubb is....... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted January 28, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2021 39 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said: The first rule of Cake Klubb is....... EAT the CAKE! 3 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dave Hunt Posted January 28, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2021 (edited) These get my vote every time. I've used them for hippo's years on home and exhibition layouts without any problems whatsoever. Dave Edited January 28, 2021 by Dave Hunt Forgot picture! 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted January 29, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 29, 2021 (edited) 11 hours ago, Happy Hippo said: I got the results of the chest x ray earlier on today: All clear, so nothing out of the ordinary. Having reviewed my flow meter readings over the past fortnight, the nurse has now booked me an appointment (phone) with the GP on Monday. It's all rather drawn out, but I feel it's: Not serious, just annoying. It's getting narrowed down, so I suspect the next area of investigation will be the upper respiratory tract. I think it will require a dose of single malt later this evening: Purely for medicinal purposes. I've heard good reviews from other users about the Gaugemaster hand held units, so I shall take a look. The first rule of Cake Klubb is....... Good news about the X ray except no mention of where the secret cake stache is located or the composition of the heart though. I've used Gaugemaster hand held W's a lot at exhibitions. With continual heavy use they can get quite warm, so we always had a spare to swap out. However they are fine for intermittent use with 7mm stuff. Jamie Edited January 29, 2021 by jamie92208 4 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted January 29, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 29, 2021 1 hour ago, jamie92208 said: Good news about the X ray except no mention of where the secret cake stachevis located or the composition of the heart. I've used Gaugemaster hand held W's a lot at exhibitions. With continual heavy use they can get quite warm, sonwe always had a spare to swap out. However they are fine for intermittent use with 7mm stuff. Jamie There are "heavyweight" controllers in the range (suitable for Hippo's and 0 Gauge) so presumably up-rated accordingly. I guess they are few and far between on the bay though... 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted January 29, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 29, 2021 As an ex-trader so now no connection (badoom) Gaugemaster controllers are really good. We had very very few failures, which were always sorted quickly by them with no squabbles (Hornby please take note....they're a nightmare for trade returns), and we must have sold hundreds and hundreds if not thousands of them of all sizes, right up to the big G scale fan cooled jobs. Highly recommended. 9 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dave Hunt Posted January 29, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 29, 2021 Gaugemaster hand held Ws are great and using them with motors such as RG7s and Mashima 1833s on layouts such as Dewsbury and Severn Mill at exhibitions I was never aware of them getting hot. Dave 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted January 29, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2021 I have to admit that I was looking at the analogue controllers more for use with 4 mm stuff when the grandchildren's line has to be built. With the exception of the Heljan beasts, I've been able to run up to three sound controlled locos at once using the NCE Powercab starter set. Modern rtr locos in 7mm have quite small motors. I'm part way through taking one of the motors out of a Heljan Class 25, which will allow it to run the much cheaper standard sound decoder. Those with practical experience in this have reported that the haulage capacity of the converted locos is still well in excess of any train that would be suitable for my personal usage. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now